Heney geoss



(No Model.)

H.,, GROSS. FRAME WORK FOR SAFETY'DEPOSIT AND SIMILAR BOXES. No. 361,408. Patented-Apr. 19, 1887.

N. PETERS. PhuloLilhogrzpher, Washington. D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY GROSS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE CHICAGO, SAFE AND LOCK COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

FRAME-WORK FOR SAFETY DEPOSIT AND SIMILAR BOXES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 361,408, dated April 19, 1887. Application filed April 19, 1886. Renewed March 7, 1887. Serial No. 230,037. (No model.)

To a-ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY GROSS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in the Construction of Frame-Work for Safety I it has been heretofore proposed to form the frame-work of two series of plates, one series running in horizontal direction and the other running in vertical direction, the plates of each series being provided at their points of intersection with slots extending to about midway the plates, so that when the plates were fitted together their front edges would be in the same vertical plane. It is manifest that in such construction the rear portion of thehorizontal plates and the front portion of the partition-plates between their slots will be left without support, and as the boxes are usually of considerable depth, it is possible, by bending the rear portion of the upper or lower plates or the front portion of the partitionplates of one box, to enter the adjacent boxes. Moreover, in such construction the slotting of the horizontal and partition plates left the outer edges of such plates without sufficient rigidity to afford afirm bearing for the doors.

My present invention has for its object to avoid these objections, and to provide a construction of frame-Work by which each box will be rendered secure against entrance from the adjacent boxes, and by which, at the same time, the vertical and horizontal plates constituting the sides of the boxes shall be held together in such manner as to afforda firm support for the doors. This object Ihave acoom plished by the construction of framework,

hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly defined in the claims at the end of this specification.

Figure l is a perspective view, parts being broken away for the purpose of better illustration. Fig. 2 is aview in horizontal section. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the partition-plates. I

A designates the main horizontal plates of the framework, andB denotes the partitionplates, which serve to divide the main plates at suitables distances to form the boxes of proper size. In the plates A are formed the holes or mortises a, the number and distance apart of these mortises being dependent upon the depth of the boxes. The mortises a are preferably dovetailed or inclined, as at a, and are of sufficient size to receive the tenons b and b of the partition-plates B, above and below each main plate. The tenons of the plates B are-preferably of dovetailed construction, as shown, the tenons of one partition-plate interlocking with the tenons of the plate above and below it, and the lower tenons, b, inclining in one direction only, while the tenons b are of double dovetail construction. The horizontal plates A are provided with lugs or projections a, adapted to pass through suitable holes in the stop orguard plate C, which constitutes the back of the frame-work, the end of these projections a being riveted down, so as to securel y hold the plates in position. In this construction it will be seen that when the tenons of the partitionplates have been inserted into the mortises of the main plates, and the stop or guard plate C has been fixed in position, it will beimpossible to separate the partitionplates from the main plates, for the reason that the rear edges of both sets of plates abut against the stop or guard, plate C, which prevents their backward movement, and obviously the dovetailed tenons cannot be separated nor withdrawn from their mortises so long as the stop or guard plate is in position. I

It will be seen that by connecting the main and partition plates of the frame-work by tenonand-mortise joints the slotting of such plates to any considerable extent is unnecessary, and consequently a firm support for the door is ob tained, and the danger of the entrance of one box from the adjacent boxes is avoided. Moreover, by forming the tenons and mortises of dovetailed oixother suitable construction which will permit them to interlock, the main and partition plates will be firmly held together, so as to give to the frame-work much of the same rigidity as if partition-plates were formed in single pieces. The front of the frame-work will be provided with individual doors D, of any suitable construction. V

It will be readily seen that my invention is applicable not merely to the construction of safety deposit-boxes, but as well also to the construction of the frame-Work of post-office boxes and similar receptacles, it being understood that in such work instead of employing a solid stop or guard plate, 0, suitable guard strips or stops at the back of the frame-work 3. A frame-work for safety deposit and like boxes, having its main horizontal partitionplates and its vertical partition-plates connccted at their points of intersection by dovetail tenon-and-Inortise joints, and having a guard plate or stop to prevent the separation of the plates, substantially as described.

4. In frame-work for safety deposit and like boxes, the combination of the main horizontal partition-plates A, having mortises a therein, of the vertical partition-plates B, having the dovetail tenons band I), fittedin the same mortises, substantially as described.

5. In frame-work for safety deposit and like boxes, the combination of the main horizontal partition-plates A, having dovetail niortises a therein, and the vertical partition-plates B, having the dovetail tenons b and b, and the guard plate or stop 0, substantially as described.

HENRY GROSS.

\Vitnesses:

G120. l. FISHER, J r., JAMES H. PEIRon. 

